I'm tired of various oil leaks - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

WANT '71 280SEL · #1 12-16-2005, 05:49 PM

Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have recently changed my oil and everytime I get under the car I am deeply troubled by the various places that leak oil. To be honest, and I've cleaned and checked, it leaks from just about everywhere. Headgasket leaks, oil pan gasket leaks, front main, maybe rear main. I can't tell if it's the rear main or that upper edge of the oil pan leaking. Anyways, I'm going to nuke the leaks. Here is what I propose to do. This will probably sound stupid to many of you but I am young and stupid and will probably have the time come this summer. Anyways, I'm going to pull the engine and reseal EVERYTHING. Now, I don't want to rebuild the engine though I will take the head to be checked out (#14) and maybe have guides and seals put on there. Basically, a head job if it needs it, if not, it will stay as it is. I need to know however what gaskets I would need. I know most people wouldn't tear down an engine and not replace anything but the timing chain is 75k miles old and everything runs/works great. Here is a list of gaskets I want to buy to do this, I wish there was just one big kit but there isn't, though there are a couple minor kits available.

-cylinder head gasket set (supposedly comes with all the upper gaskets minus the VC gasket on MBs)
-VC gasket
-vac. pump gasket (already have since I have an old-style pump I've been wanting to pull it and make sure it's not going to blow up)
-oil pan gasket + lateral pan gasket (this is the small pan that sticks off the side)
-2 oil level sender o-rings (there are 2 different sizes to the assembly)
-oil filter housing gasket
-turbo drain gasket (the picture showed a cork looking gasket, I understand this goes on the bottom of the turbo, but is this the same gasket as the feed line uses? I had my turbo off last summer and the gaskets looked the same but I got them from the dealer so I have no idea if they were)
-waterpump gasket (which one would I want? Or would I want both? Fastland lists one that is for the pump to the housing and one for the pump to the crankcase)
-and I'll replace the engine mounts, shocks, and shock mount hardware ($$$)

I have some other questions regarding other gaskets I'll surely need. Fasltane lists these gaskets but I'm not sure if there are multiple ones on the car or if I'm thinking the right thing.
-oil return line - crankcase (this must be that 45° piece's gasket)
-turbo oil line - crankcase (would this be the feed line? The feed line has a fitting that screws into the crankcase but I don't think there's any gasket there)
-oil ine to oil filter (is there a gasket where the oil cooler line mounts the the filter housing? If not, what would this be)

I also want to replace the side cover gaskets on the IP since some of them are near impossible to replace with the IP on the engine. So, I plan to pull the IP once the engine is on the stand. Is there any gasket where the IP meets the head or crankcase (can't remember which it bolts to).

What gaskets or o-rings am I missing? Are there any timing cover gaskets or is there some MB sealant used there? I know oil drain o-rings aren't on the list but I didn't see them on Fastlane. So, what am I missing?

Any words of wisdom? I priced out most of it and I should be able to do it under $250 or so. Engine shocks and mounting hardware adds up to over $100 alone.

Thanks
David

Hit Man X · #2 12-16-2005, 06:31 PM

Hehe, mine leaks in some odd places too.

Oil level sending unit
T-chain guide pin (odd)
Side oil pan

Don't worry, we're all frustrated.

Hatterasguy · #3 12-16-2005, 10:50 PM

Welcome to the club. I am lucky I have a few minor engine oil leaks to deal with this winter, like the oil pan. But nothing to major. Overall mine is pretty dry. (knock on wood)

The one I am pissed about is the trans! I replaced the front seal and it is still leaking like crazy!

Screw it as soon as the temps come up the trans is off to a shop for a complete re seal. I am sick of dripping cars I want that trans bone dry I don't care if I have to rebuild it.

t walgamuth · #4 12-16-2005, 10:59 PM

whoooooah.... taking apart the motor is a very very very labor intensive thing. i would never do that without fixing things at the same time.

what kind of oil are you using?

maybe you can go to something a bit thicker. and maybe some of the leaks can be done with out really digging into the motor too much. like the sending unit mentioned above. easy fix, always leaking if old.

think about fixing the easy ones and seeing what happens. maybe that will reduce it enough to ease your mind.

good luck

tom w

WANT '71 280SEL · #5 12-17-2005, 12:06 AM

Tom, I understand it would require labor but that is what I have to offer. Have you ever replaced an oil pan gasket on a 603? Keep in mind there is no lower pan, just one huge one. It is a pain to R&R the oil pan on these. I knocked a hole in mine over the summer so I had to replace it with a used one and man what a pain! Anyways, I figure if I had the proper parts I could do this within a week. Hopefully while my friend is welding in metal and painting it. The biggest pain about what I intend to do would be R&Ring the engine I'd think. Once you have it on a stand, it's all down hill from there.

I found out tonight I need a thermostat now! It won't go over the 80 mark here in the winter. Not to mention the fact that the blower motor sparingly works and when it does it makes a slight clicking noise. I need to buy brushes for it now.

I would bet that if you added up the labor of all the leaks I want to fix, it would be greater than if I just pulled the motor. Has anyone here pulled a 603 out of an SDL? It doesn't look too bad. Don't you pull the trans out with it? I would be working on a lift so I could just lower the trans and do the front seal on it while the engine is out.

Thanks
David

JamesDean · #6 12-17-2005, 12:10 AM

my oil leaks seem to be coming from the oil cooler line (bottom one)...maybe turbo drain tube and somewhere else but they all seem to drip down to the front crossmember and then to my garage floor...thou not as badly when i switched to 15w40. My front trans seal leaked but it hasnt leaked recently. I used some no-leak that seemed to stop it.

kris

t walgamuth · #7 12-17-2005, 09:25 AM

sounds normal. remember it is centigrade.

i remember when i tried to pull the motor on my 63 valient slant six in one weekend and put in new bearings and rings. i finished tuesday after pulling nearly two all nighters and missing a full day of classes. and when it was done i didnt know it but i buggered a rod bearing putting one rod in and spun it in a few weeks.

youthful enthusiasm and optomism.

a 603 has a lot more to unhook than a slant six!

just hoping you dont bite off more than you want to chew!

tom w

rg2098 · #8 12-17-2005, 04:26 PM

And this is that beautiful SDL I saw? Mine leaks a bit out of the oil return right above the pan on the 617. None ever touches the ground but that area always stays somewhat oily.

coachgeo · #9 12-17-2005, 04:35 PM

To be honest with you... I had a Jeep that leaked oil like a SOB. Buttttt. My jeep had less rust than anyones around BECAUSE of the leak. I knew where the leaks were, checked oil often and I didn't care cause it was a fair trade of. Little oil added each month and no rust to speak of.

iNeon · #10 12-17-2005, 04:49 PM

want to fix my leaks whenever youre done?

surely a 616 is easier to work on! heh heh

he leaves nice spots wherever i park, only little ones, but eventually they combine and become big ugly spots.

im thinking about parking it over canvas and selling the works as commentary pieces.

t walgamuth · #11 12-17-2005, 05:10 PM

revisited. why not?

tom w

#12 12-17-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coachgeo

To be honest with you... I had a Jeep that leaked oil like a SOB. Buttttt. My jeep had less rust than anyones around BECAUSE of the leak. I knew where the leaks were, checked oil often and I didn't care cause it was a fair trade of. Little oil added each month and no rust to speak of.

My POS Jeep leaks everything/everywhere. I'm half hoping it will just die so I'll have an excuse to replace it. What was I thinking when I bought that thing?

lietuviai · #13 12-17-2005, 05:35 PM

I guess I'm lucky, my '87 only has a very small leak somewhere from the engine and my guess it's just probably from an accumulation of crud somewhere that melts off. Now the tranny is a different story. It's leaking from somewhere that will take pulling it out to find.

I don't care. I'm going to get rid of it anyway so it's not on any fix it list.

mikemover · #14 12-17-2005, 05:48 PM

I don't mean to be pessimistic, but unless the leaks you're hoping to fix are dangerously LARGE leaks, you are probably just wasting your time. A head gasket leak is an exception, of course... I'd fix that.

I did the same thing a couple of years ago, when I had the engine/tranny out of my 79 300SD.... Replaced every gasket, sealed every single leak up tight.

Within 2-3 months, 2 or 3 of the leaks were back. Now, a couple of years later, they're ALL back, except for the very bad oil pan leak that prompted me to pull the engine in the first place.

An older diesel has so much compression blow-by, there is lots of pressure in the oiling system of the engine.... All of that pressure is going to go somewhere. As soon as you seal up one leak, another one springs up. You can drive yourself NUTS (not to mention spend a lot of $$$!) trying to chase leaks on an older diesel engine.

I'm not trying to talk you out of it per se... But it's something to consider, because you're talking about a lot of work, and a not-insignifcant amount of money. How much does it REALLY bug you?....

Mike

Stevo · #15 12-17-2005, 06:05 PM

David

Another possable tack....Find a good parts car or good engine, put that engine on the stand and take your time doing a rebuild or what ever you want. I realize there are lots of reasons you couldnt or wouldnt do this but ...just an idea

Thats what I did with my 79 240D....I have one small oil leak where I screwed up on the aft main seal and its been 3 years since the rebuild.